Can a computer be installed in a KR replica?

[walter h. anderson]

I'm rather curious about this. I read some time ago on one of the Knight Rider replica websites that an actual computer can be installed in a car. How is this possible? I can't imagine how.

[Knight of Sweden]

with todays advanced technique i don't think its impossible..

[Michael Pajaro]

It all depends on what you want the computer to do. It's (relatively) simple to put a computer in your car that will let you do everything you normally would do with a comuter; surf the web, watch videos, maybe do some graphical simulations to playback on an in-dash LCD screen. You can put the actual computer in the trunk and use a second battery or a special alternator to power it. Then just run a cable to the screen and maybe add a touch-screen interface. I would NOT suggest using a regular computer however; you could damage the hard drives with all the shaking in the car. Use a laptop or build a system with laptop-style drives. (or use something like the new Mac Mini, which you could basically install right in the dash.)

Now if you want the computer to interact with your car, that will take a bit more work. You'll need to tap into the existing electronic systems of yuor car or install new components to monitor speed, oil pressure, whatever. That could be tricky.

And if you want your computer to actually drive the car for you, well, I would plan on spending many years and a lot of money trying to get it to work.

[FuzzieDice]

This is something I'm acutally planning on doing for Dryden. I'm on the verge of starting to aquire the full version of Ultra Hal Assistant and start working on the AI Training.

As for the electronics, you can put a computer in a car, and you'd need to have a 2nd battery, bigger alternator, possibly a bigger regulator, charging system, etc. It can work in the trunk as Michael said. I plan to use a normal case and hard drive, but may pad the drive a bit more though (maybe put a 3.5" HD in the 5.25" bay with LOTS of shock-absorbing padding). Then wire the CD and other stuff, speakers, etc. into the car and try to integrate it.

You *could* make a board interface to connect the ECM to the car and the computer too. There's some ECM software out there but not sure if it's monitoring software or if an AI can grab data from it. I would like to find out some day. You could also make a serial-port board and send voltages to your car's power locks, power seats, etc. if you have those. You might want to study up on electronics and also get some stuff at surplus stores, Mouser or Allied Electronics, Radio Shack, etc.

There's been some in the replica world that have hooked up things like talking with KITT's voice, video monitoring, etc.

If you want the car to drive itself, that's already being done by a mechatronics lab in I think Sweden or Switzerland (forgot which). The project is called "Evolve". The car will parallel park without anyone in it!

I think you can get the car to do some things on it's own. If you have cruise control, you have some of the electronics right there. It's a matter of getting the shop manual and wireing for your car, and figuring out the signals and stuff. Again, tapping into the ECM also is something useful.

You could also hook up mechanical relays to control things like throttle. You might be able to get the signals or hook up a device to send signals from the automatic transmission, and thus maybe send signals to a device that would also shift the transmission. Because if a car has automatic transmission, it already has the ability to automatically shift by itself to begin with. It's a matter of hooking the PC to it and getting some software (or writing some yourself if you're able) and getting it to shift the transmission as well.

Then you want to electronically control brakes and steering. These could be a bit more tricky but doable.

The largest obsticle though isn't the mechanical interface to the computer anymore. Now it's more the software and object recognition and distance detection, etc. In other words, you have to have video, and radar-like scanning (possibly microwave or other types) so that the car can not only see, but also determine obsticles, where the road is, how to stay in the lanes, etc. Many high-end SUVs are starting to have "auto correct" now that if you don't have your turn signal on and you go to change lanes, the SUV will steer back into the lane again! I read about this somewhere. But for you to do this yourself, you'll need to know how to write software that can do some object recognition and stuff. And don't test it on the real road - find an empty lot or race track and bring some cones and stuff. You don't want a K.A.R.R. situation.

Theoretically, if you have the mechanical and computer know-how, yes, you CAN make a robot car. Even maybe before the scientists and DARPA can. But you got to be clever. And have a little cash, but I don't think you need to be rich, really. Just relatively clever with computers and automotive mechanics.

I'm neither but I think I can get a few things done. I don't know about self-driving though. But the computer thing I am actively starting to plan. Won't be done this year or maybe another two years, don't know yet. Dryden still needs some mechanical work and other restoration work done first.

Keep your eye on my site (click the www) button and also browse the links page there as I have quite a bit of info for those wanting to build a robot car. Well, actually these days cars *are* robots already. But I'm talking about info on making cars more like KITT.

[kitt-x]

yes you certainly can put a computer in your KR conversion. Here is the computer I built for my car....

http://www.kittxproject.com/KXDevComputer.html

[FuzzieDice]

That SO rocks! I have a gamer type case with side window and blue and green fans, and blue tubes on the front. I put Drake's guts into a new case and seriously upgraded. I'm hoping to use the old case in Dryden.

I never was fond of VIA since I had a SYNTAX VIA motherboard and it really sucked. Couldn't even watch DVDs on the thing! It was all choppy. For Dryden, you can bet it'll be an A-Bit board and an Intel CPU. Though maybe not 2 GHZ.

BTW, Kitt-X what are you going to do about cooling the system so that the CPU doesn't shut down the computer due to overheating? Just curious because I know a car gets MUCH hotter than in a house and thus the case and system could overheat. That's one thing I want to figure out for Dryden. The Wizard suggested exhausting the hot air out the license plate area, but I was thinking of a 2nd exhaust pipe or cutting "vents" in the side by the back fenders and fastening an exahust fan system and duct that goes into the CPU bay. On a Pontiac 6000, there's like a big enough trunk that goes kinda under the back ledge of teh back seat and that's where I hope to stuff the extra batteries and the CPU (Optimus or Marine batteries as I hear you have to be careful of battery gasses so normal car batteries won't work for that application).

What are your thoughts/plans on this?

[kitt-x]

I'm not concerned about the heat.
The mini-ITX boards are designed to run cooler than other motherboards like ATX form factor. In fact, some of the boards don't even use a fan on the integrated processor, just a heat sink.

The board I got does have a fan on the processor, plus I have 2 fans in the case for extra cooling. My car is not a daily driver and is garage kept, so it is not like it is going to be in the sun all day with the computer on anyway.

As far as batteries, I have an auxillary battery set up. My second battery is a Deka AGM Group 31 deep cycle battery. Don't have to worry about gasses or anything like that with it.

[FuzzieDice]

I'm not concerned about the heat.
The mini-ITX boards are designed to run cooler than other motherboards like ATX form factor. In fact, some of the boards don't even use a fan on the integrated processor, just a heat sink.

The board I got does have a fan on the processor, plus I have 2 fans in the case for extra cooling. My car is not a daily driver and is garage kept, so it is not like it is going to be in the sun all day with the computer on anyway.

I think I might even look into the mini-ITX after all. I can always give a friend the old case I have if I end up not using it. Dryden is a daily driver that sits in front of the building in the parking area, so the heat in the car can get up to 120 deg. Farenheit or higher, especially in summer. Or pretty cold in winter. That's why I am thinking of doing some mods to aid in cooling the system. The AI/System computer will need to be on 24/7 as well.

As far as batteries, I have an auxillary battery set up. My second battery is a Deka AGM Group 31 deep cycle battery. Don't have to worry about gasses or anything like that with it.

Those deep-cycle batteries are good! I'll have to look into that brand.

[walter h. anderson]

I saw on E-Bay some time ago about a CD-Rom installed in a computer of a KITT replica which will allow William Daniels' voice (or a close approximation) to go through the speakers.

Talk about Cool!!!